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UTILITY
SHUT-OFFS
Connecticut residents are
protected from shut-off of their utility
services, under certain circumstances. The
following outlines the circumstances that apply
for water, telephone, electric, and natural gas
services.
WATER
Households with a person who is seriously ill or
who has a life threatening illness are protected
from water shut-off as follows: If a doctor
provides written verification that a person in
the household is "seriously ill", the household
is protected from shut-off during the winter
moratorium period (Nov. 1-May 1). If a doctor's
verification states that the person has a "life
threatening illness", the household is protected
from shutoff year round.
IF THE CUSTOMER'S WATER IS ALREADY SHUTOFF: If
their water company is a regulated water
company, the protection is the same and the
company would have to turn them back on. If it
is an unregulated water company, the company is
not required to turn the customer back on, but
many water companies do try to "mirror" what the
regulated companies do. Generally, the municipal
water companies are unregulated, but the
customer would have to call PURA to see if their
water company is regulated or not.
TELEPHONE (LAND-LINE ONLY)
State regulations state that residential
land-line phone service cannot be terminated for
non-payment while any resident is seriously ill,
as certified to the phone company by a doctor.
However, the customer must agree to a payment
arrangement for the unpaid balance AND keep the
account current while paying off the unpaid
balance.
ELECTRIC AND GAS
In Connecticut, utility companies that provide
natural gas and/or electric service are limited
by law as to when and under what circumstances
they are permitted to shut off a customer's
service.
• Life-threatening Shut-offs: Electric and gas
companies may not shut off or refuse to turn on
utility service at any time during the year if a
lack of service is life-threatening, regardless
of the amount of money a customer owes.
• Winter Shut-offs: Protection for low-income
persons from winter shut-offs that are not
life-threatening is available from November 1 to
May 1, under certain circumstances, depending on
whether the company provides electric or gas
service.
For a detailed explanation of what these limits
are and how this affects your electric or
natural gas service, see the pamphlet “Rights of
Utility Customers”, published by the Legal
Assistance Resource Center of Connecticut. See
the link:
http://www.larcc.org/pamphlets/utility_energy/rights_of_utility_customers.htm
REGULATIONS:
To read the Connecticut Department of Public
Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA)
regulations regarding termination of utility
service, go to: http://www.ct.gov/pura/site/default.asp
TO FIND PROVIDERS IN
CONNECTICUT'S COMMUNITY RESOURCES DATABASE:
• Search by service name:
Seasonal/Year
Round Utility Disconnection Protection
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SOURCES: Connecticut
Department of Public Utilities Regulatory
Authority (PURA); “Rights
of Utility Customers”, by the Legal
Assistance Resource Center of Connecticut
(LARCC)
PREPARED BY: 211/kq
CONTENT LAST REVIEWED: July2012
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